Methods and articles for providing a body jewelry accessory comprising an edible candy portion

ABSTRACT

The invention comprises an improved means for forming and retaining candy on an accessory for body jewelry. A candy-bearing means comprises a perforated member connected to a central ring member of the accessory; a flexible attachment means comprises a perforated panel occupying the interior of the ring member enabling quick and reversible attachment to jewelry fixtures of variable sizes and shapes. The invention also discloses improved methods for forming candy pieces upon said candy-bearing means, including the use of strategically placed perforations or scorings in the tab member thereof, yielding candies that are especially suitable for the challenges associated with body jewelry; furthermore the accessory advantageously includes a handling means for allowing fine manipulation of the accessory via a removable and disposable handle that a user may grasp while attaching the accessory of the invention to any other body jewelry.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an article comprising an accessory for attachment to body jewelry, the accessory comprising improved means for forming and retaining edible candy thereon, and methods for making and using same.

2. Description of the Related Art

The following review of related art is intended to provide edifying examples of problems and pitfalls in the design and use of jewelry comprising edible parts, in particular body jewelry having a hard candy portion removably attached. The mention of these examples does not constitute an admission that any of the following methods or devices constitute prior art applicable to the present invention. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicant reserves the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of any of the documents cited herein.

The attachment of articles of jewelry through piercing of body parts, such as pierced ears, has been well known worldwide for many years. In recent years, other parts of the body, such as the tongue, lips, face, navel and genital areas have also become pierced for adornment with jewelry articles. The jewelry used to adorn these pierced parts varies in gauges depending on what size of an article the user wants to wear for that specific part, and the fixtures known in the art comprise an array of straight bars, curved bars, pendants, studs, ball bearings, for example, and combinations thereof. Thus, the gear and methods used in the art of body jewelry and body piercings are distinctive and unique, and they differ dramatically from those relating to more traditional jewelry that is worn in ear piercings, necklaces, bracelets, and the like.

Methods and articles for attaching candy items to traditional jewelry have never been popular, perhaps because there is little symbolic relevance between candy and the ears, or because having a dyed sugar product around one's neck is more inconvenient than advantageous. In contrast, enthusiasts of body jewelry are by nature expressive and daring, and there exists an unmet need for incorporating candy into these apparatus in a professional, convenient, sanitary, and cost-effective way. A candy item may be made to visually resemble a precious gem, and practical applications abound for the meaningful incorporation of candy items into jewelry to be worn on the parts of the body listed above. In order to be worthwhile to consumers, such a candy-bearing jewelry article must be easily available, conveniently incorporable into existing fixtures and adornments in the body jewelry market, and meeting a high standard of quality combining reliability with ease of use, otherwise such a product would remain relegated to the bargain bin and shunned by trend-setters who take their art seriously.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an article of manufacture for use with body jewelry comprising a reversibly attachable accessory having several distinct, advantageous features that individually and collectively solve the problems discussed above. As a general introduction, the accessory of the present invention comprises (1) an improved means for forming and retaining edible confections, particularly hard candy, (the “candy-bearing means”) comprising a tab or other extending member connected to an outer portion of a central ring member of the accessory; and (2) an improved attachment means comprising a flexible panel occupying the interior of the ring member (the “flexible attachment means”) enabling quick and reversible attachment to jewelry fixtures of variable sizes and shapes; and, improved methods (3) for forming candy pieces upon said candy-bearing means, including the use of strategically placed perforations or scorings in the tab member thereof, yielding candies that are especially suitable for the challenges associated with body jewelry (discussed later); and, (4) an advantageous means for handling the accessory via a removable and disposable handle feature that a user may grasp while attaching the accessory of the invention to any other body jewelry, thereby to protect the rather delicate candy-bearing tab, and the candy thereon, which might otherwise be disturbed by a user's hand when grasping the accessory during attachment or other use thereof.

Thus, it is a first objective of the invention to provide a novel candy-bearing accessory that attaches conveniently and reversibly to various body piercing and body jewelry fixtures, of the types known to persons of ordinary skill in the art, the accessory comprising an improved means for forming and retaining candy on an article of body jewelry, said means comprising a specialized perforated (e.g., scored) tab or similar protruding structure on which candy can be formed and retained, and later can be dislodged in a controlled manner in order to consume it.

It is a second objective of the invention to provide the accessory with a flexible attachment means for receiving and being retained upon a diverse assortment of fixtures commonly used in body piercing and other arts for adorning the body with jewelry, where said flexible attachment means is advantageously configured to accommodate a range of gauges (sizes) and shapes of said fixtures, providing the accessories of the invention with unprecedented versatility and thereby making the product cost-effective.

And it is a third objective of the invention to provide improved methods for making and using the accessory, whose multiple structural and functional innovations provide advantages both individually and collectively that enable consumers, merchants, and artists to create more convenient, valuable, durable, and professional-looking candy-containing jewelry adornments than had been previously possible.

And it is a fourth objective of the invention to provide embodiments that further comprise a removable and disposable handle means for manipulating the accessory during use, such as during the step of attaching it to a jewelry item worn by a person, so that the user may more efficaciously work with the accessory when creating body art and/or jewelry compositions, and may avoid unsanitary touching or accidental damage to the candy-bearing tab and its candy or confections.

Additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed descriptions of some preferred embodiments thereof. The present invention is not limited in its application, details, or components merely to those set forth in the following description and illustrations. The present invention resides not merely in any one of the features set forth in this specification, but also in the particular combination of all of the features and improvements claimed. Methods and devices consistent with the present invention are capable of other embodiments. In general, the order of the steps of disclosed processes may be altered within the scope of the invention. Also, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting unless explicitly stated as such.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of the attachable candy-bearing accessory for body jewelry prior to the formation of a candy on the candy-bearing means thereof.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a second embodiment of the attachable candy-bearing accessory for body jewelry undergoing a first step in a method for forming a candy on the candy-bearing means thereof, the step comprising immersion in a hardening chamber of a confection mold.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the first embodiment of the attachable candy-bearing accessory for body jewelry further comprising a hard candy in the shape of a gem attached to the candy-bearing means, said means comprising a perforated tab means for forming and retaining a candy, and said candy having been formed thereon by the previously discussed method.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the attachable candy-bearing accessory for body jewelry in the process of being attached to a jewelry fixture, wherein the bead and shaft of a body-piercing article are being pushed through a central pore of a flexible attachment means.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the attachable candy-bearing accessory for body jewelry after its successful attachment to the body-piercing article, and being retained thereupon by the flexible attachment means as would occur when actually worn on a person's body.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a third embodiment of the attachable candy-bearing accessory for body jewelry further comprising a removable and disposable handling means for efficiently manipulating the accessory during use, such as during attachment or removal of the accessory to articles of body jewelry, and also for minimizing the likelihood that a user's hands will disturb the candy-bearing means that is intentionally located on the opposite side of the ring member from said handling means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Throughout all the Figures, same or corresponding elements are indicated by the same reference numerals. FIG. 1 is a front view of a first embodiment 100 of the attachable candy-bearing accessory illustrating some of its principal structural features. A retaining ring 10 (i.e., a “hoop”) composed of any plastic, metal, or other suitable material for making body piercing parts and body jewelry surrounds a flexible attachment means 20 for receiving and being retained upon various body jewelry fixtures of diverse gauges and shapes, the characteristics of said fixtures being well understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art. The flexible attachment means 20 comprises a sheet, membrane, or similar thin layer of material which is permanently attached to an inner portion of the ring 10, and it may be composed of any suitably durable and flexible material such as silicone rubber, plastic, metal foil, synthetic or natural fiber compositions, and so on; where the suitability of its material composition requires that the attachment means 20 is both durable and flexible enough to yield when a fixture is pushed through slip 30 in its center, and also is resilient or reflexive enough to apply a moderate retaining force against the inserted fixture without tearing or disintegrating; (These features are demonstrated in the attachment method depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, discussed below). The center slip 30 may comprise any gap, slit, hole, seam, or other perforation in the central region of the flexible attachment means 20. In the first embodiment 100 (see FIG. 1), the center slip 30 is shown as a circular pore in a silicone rubber membrane; in the second embodiment 101 (see FIG. 2), the center slip 31 comprises small transverse slits in a thin plastic disc.

The accessory of the invention further comprises a scored and/or perforated tab 11 (a “candy-bearing tab”) which is a means for forming and retaining a candy. Generally, this candy-bearing tab 11 comprises a thin, flat extension connected to an outside surface portion of the ring 10, where features 10 and 11 may constitute one single fabricated piece, or where alternatively the candy-bearing tab 11 may be a separate piece subsequently fixed to the ring 10. In the drawings, the tab 11 is a rectangular protrusion whose thickness (depth dimension; not shown) is approximately 1-3 mm, or 30-50% of the diameter of the ring member 10, and is fabricated as one piece of molded plastic including the ring 10 therein. Importantly and advantageously, the tab 11 comprises perforations 12 (i.e., bores, gaps, punctures) in its interior area which facilitate the formation and retention of a candy 15 on the tab 11, the outcome of which is illustrated, for example, in FIG. 3. In other embodiments, the candy-bearing means 11 may comprise a pendant or tear-drop shape (not shown), or any other shape suitable for use in the present invention.

The perforations 12 on the tab 11 of the candy-bearing feature of the invention accomplishes several advantageous results compared to the prior art. First, it improves the method(s) for and results of forming candy objects on the accessories of the invention. Methods are explained in more detail farther below, but briefly, the presence of perforations 12 on the tab 11 induces the candy to condense and crystallize more securely thereon, because a front side and a back side of a nascent candy object 15 undergo the hardening process while in fluid contact with each other through said perforations 12, which generates superior results compared to those obtained if the tab 11 were not perforated; when non-perforated, a candy-forming stem (e.g., tongue, tab) will yield a hollow candy shell having formed around the peripheral surface of that stem and having no cross-linking candy mass inside of it, because no perforated path through the center of that stem was present during the candy-hardening step. In contrast, candy formed by the method and apparatus of the present invention having the tab 11 and perforations 12 are less brittle, more firmly attached to the accessory, yet more easily removed, and more resistant to decomposition, said decomposition occurring when, for example, the candy shrinks or loses adhesive connection to the surface of the (unperforated) tab due to phenomena like dehydration, reliquification (i.e., melting), and chemical interactions between the material composition of the tab 11 and the ingredients of the candy 15. This latter effect, referred to as decomposition, otherwise known as shelf-life, happens much more slowly in the present invention because there is less surface area contact between the candy 15 and the tab 11, and because the candy has a larger interior volume and an effectively a thicker mass due to the inner candy portions that formed when the candy solution filled the inner spaces of the perforations 12 during the hardening step of the manufacturing method. These subtle factors are critically important when manufacturing a candy item for use with body-jewelry, not only with respect to product quality and customer satisfaction, but also with respect to various costs that depend upon shelf-life.

Second, the perforations 12 enhance the stability of the candy object 15 on the accessory while being worn, handled, stored, and otherwise disturbed, because the inner crystalline structure of the candy grips around the edges of the perforations 12. Moreover, the candy parts 15 are effectively thickened because of the filled center parts connecting across the perforations' openings in the tab 11. Thus, it is more difficult to accidentally break the candy off of accessories of the present invention compared to those that lack perforations.

Third, when a person actually desires to break off the candy 15, the perforations 12 impart an unequal distribution of tension when force is applied to bend the tab 11, which results in a clean bifurcation of the candy 15 into two halves, particularly when the perforations 12 are in a linear array as in FIGS. 1 and 2. This result occurs because the center of the candy object 15 where it passes through the perforations 12 in the tab 11 are natural weak-point that breaks off preferentially when stress is applied to the crystalline lattice of the candy (i.e., forming a frangible juncture, line, or link). Alternatively, the candy piece 15 can be pulled directly off from the bottom of the tab 11, especially when the perforations 12 comprise a single circular hole (not shown) in the center of a cylindrically-shaped tab 11. In either case the candy 15 is removed as one piece or two halves. In contrast, if the candy were formed on a nonperforated or nonscored stem, it will break away unevenly according to randomly distributed points of adhesiveness between the candy and the surface of the stem, and it will shatter unpredictably because there is no specific interior weak point in the candy. The present invention provides other arrangements for the scoring and perforation 12 for yielding other predictable candy breakages, wherein the shape and size of the tab 11 or other candy-bearing means is also a factor, which other arrangements will not be elaborated here, but are duly mentioned in order to claim generally that this constitutes an advantageous feature of the invention which is inherent in the means 11 for forming and retaining a candy. As one example (not illustrated), the candy-bearing means 11 may be shaped like a candy-cane (i.e., like an upside-down letter “j”) which example is given to indicate the extent to which the shape of this element can vary within the scope of the invention.

Similarly unlimited variability applies to the arrangement of the scoring and perforations 12. These need not comprise a linear arrangement of parallel perforations as depicted in the drawings, but it may adopt any form, including, for example, having one continuous opening running through the whole tab (e.g., to zig-zag in a lightening-bolt shape, or to symmetrically occupy an extended portion of the tab 11 generating an effectively hollow tab), or having one solitary perforation hole localized to one small region of the tab area (e.g., one circular or square-shaped hole anywhere on the element), or having any combinations thereof. Scoring refers to raised or etched portions of the tab or other means 11, which affect both candy formation and breakage in a variety of ways. The ideal size and shape for a scoring and perforation pattern of the invention will vary depending upon the particular circumstances of any given embodiment, including the size and shape of the candy piece 15 to be formed, the size and shape and composition of the tab 11 (which in turn affects its flexibility, its adhesion to the candy, and even the crystallization pattern of the candy solution during candy formation thereon), and likewise the ingredients of the candy are a factor (e.g., whether the hard candy will be more brittle, or less hard, more prone to dehydration or other spontaneous changes during packaging or storage, etc.).

Turning now to the discussion of the aforementioned method(s), FIG. 2 shows an accessory 101 of the invention undergoing an early step comprising a procedure for immersing the tab 11 into the chamber 41 of a candy mold apparatus 40 filled with a liquid candy solution 42. Next, the precise conditions and steps for forming a hard candy per se are well known by persons of ordinary skill in the art, and a hard candy 15 is formed around the tab 11 having whatever shape is dictated by the shape of the chamber 41. FIG. 3 illustrates a product of the method after a candy object 15 has been formed on and is being retained on the tab 11. In this example a candy 15 shaped like a rectangular gem has been produced. Later, when a person desires to break off the candy object 15 to consume it (not shown), the person grips the candy object 15 and slightly bends the tab 11, for example bending the tab 11 by about 20 degrees from the plane of the ring 10, so that the bending causes the perforations 12 to dislodge the two sides of the candy article by breaking the connection between them which passes through the perforations 12. The candy 15 snaps off in two pieces (most of the time; preferentially). In some cases, particularly when the candy-bearing means 11 has a pendant shape or a more narrow width, and especially when the perforation 12 comprises only one localized perforation in the means 11 (e.g., a single small hole), the candy object 15 can be pulled downwards off of the accessory in one piece.

After a candy-bearing accessory has been made, such as that 100 of FIG. 3, it may be sold separately to consumers of body jewelry, and/or to current users of any body-piercing apparatus, as an accessory attachable to any of a wide variety of pre-existing fixtures therefor; or, it may be sold as pre-attached to a particular fixture but which can be removed thereafter by the consumer if desired. The procedure for attachment is accomplished according to a first step illustrated in FIG. 4, where a common body-jewelry fixture 50 is shown, said fixture 50 comprising a straight bar 52 (i.e., shaft, rod) capped by a bead 51 (i.e., a stud, a ball bearing, cap). Here, another advantageous feature of the invention is displayed, that which involves the versatile attachment means 20. This feature 20 enhances the utility of the invention as a whole because it enables the accessory to be sold as an optional attachment that can accommodate almost any body jewelry for attachment within the ring 10 via the flexible attachment means 20; whereas without this feature the candy-bearing means 11 and methods described herein would need to be applied to an array of individual and diverse fixtures in order to provide the candy-bearing tab means 11 on a sufficiently diverse stock of gear to supply the demand of consumers, who use a wide variety of body jewelry having different gauges and dimensions, which would be very cost-ineffective. Without the novel and advantageous utility of the flexible attachment means 20, then instead of manufacturing and shipping one accessory suitable for all consumers, the producer of the accessories of this invention would need to maintain a catalog of any and all candy-modified parts that consumers might demand, which would be cost-prohibitive. Notwithstanding the above, the accessory of the present invention is available in different sizes, such as small, medium, and large, where the dimensions of a “small” embodiment 100 might measure between about one half inch to roughly one inch in length (from the bottom of the tab 11 to the top of the ring 10), and a “large” size might be about two or three inches long.

Returning now to FIG. 4, the bead 51 is passed through the center pore 30 of the flexible attachment means 20 while the bar 52 is oriented parallel to the direction of motion, signified by the arrow extending from right to left. The user may decide whether he or she desires a loose hanging attachment or a more stationary and tighter attachment, and this example would result in the former, because the central pore 30 of the means 20 will not tightly grip the more narrow bar 52, although the bead 51 will ensure that the accessory 100 does not slide off of the fixture 50. Alternatively, the user could opt for the tighter connection provided by embodiment 101 having the inner slits 31 in the attachment means 20. FIG. 5 illustrates the outcome of this alternative attachment option, wherein the bar 52 of the fixture 50 is being stably retained by the inherent structural resiliency of the flexible attachment means 20, which, as mentioned previously, happens to comprise a thin plastic disc with flexible corners in the cut center 31. Thus, the dimensions of the inner opening of the attachment means 20 provide another means for offering differential attachment results and creative options to consumers via the accessory. The invention intends that the accessory be marketed in a handful of product variants comprising different combinations of attachment means 20, having differing material compositions, as well as different types of inner pores varying by size and shape therein, all of which produce slightly different behaviors and artistic possibilities. The flexibility of the attachment means 20 may also vary considerably, such as when composed of plastic versus silicone rubber. In certain instances, it may be desirable to accomplish the attachment step by first removing the ball 51 from the body jewelry 50, or removing any analogous bulky attachment on any particular body-piercing fixture worn by a person, before passing it through the attachment means 20.

FIG. 6 illustrates another advantageous feature of the invention wherein the accessory 103 further comprises a handle means 60 for providing a user with a grip 61 and with leverage that is useful while manipulating the accessory during any operation ranging from the candy formation stage (as in the method of FIG. 2), to the acts of attaching or removing the accessory from another jewelry fixture, and when attaching the accessory to a particular body jewelry composition or piercing already being worn by a person, especially in a sensitive area of the body where delicate control is desired (e.g., near the eyes). But above all, this handling means 60 is useful at all times prior to the final disposition of any embodiment of the accessory for enabling the user to skillfully manipulate said accessory 103 while avoiding contact with the candy-bearing means 11 and/or the candy 15. This is primarily to avoid unwanted destruction or dislodging of the candy 15, but, more practically, from the perspective of a merchant or jeweler, the use of the handling means 60 precludes the touching of the candy 15 by a person's hands which would be unsanitary and which would destroy the product if the candy were to break off prior to its being sold and/or attached to the customer purchasing it.

Accordingly, the invention provides said means 60 for providing a handle 61 extending from the outside of the ring member 10 in the opposite direction from the candy-bearing tab 11, so that the two are as far apart from each other as possible. This feature is especially welcome in very small embodiments of the accessory. The handling means 60 is connected to an outer portion of the ring 10 via a frangible junction 62 that can be torn to remove the handle means 60 completely, after it is no longer needed (e.g., after final attachment and satisfactory disposition of the accessory on a person). Like it was previously discussed in regard to the tab 11, the handle means 60 may be manufactured as part of the accessory wherein they all comprise one piece, or it may be a distinct and separate piece 60 attached by any means whereby its removal can later be accomplished by tearing, snapping, cutting, or otherwise completely and cleanly removing the element 60 from the accessory. In preferred embodiments the handle 61 is a thin plastic tab very similar in shape to the dimensions described for the candy-bearing means 11.

It should be emphasized that the above described embodiments of the present invention exemplify some, but not all, possible implementations of the present invention and have been set forth in order to provide a clear understanding of its qualities. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. The following claims should be regarded as encompassing equivalent and various constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the methods and devices consistent with the present invention. 

I claim:
 1. An article for providing an edible candy portion as an accessory for body jewelry, the article comprising: a flexible attachment means for attaching the article to one or more of a fixture comprising body jewelry, wherein said flexible attachment means comprises a retaining ring and an inner disk attached to said ring, said disk comprising one or more perforations in the center thereof to receive said fixture comprising body jewelry, a candy-bearing means for forming and retaining an edible candy portion thereon, the candy-bearing means comprising an elongate structure descending from a lower portion of the retaining ring.
 2. The article of claim 1, wherein said candy-bearing means further comprises one or both of a feature selected from the group comprising one or a plurality of perforations and one or a plurality of scoring.
 3. The article of claim 1, wherein the candy-bearing means is a tab having a generally rectangular shape comprising perforations therein.
 4. The article of claim 1, further comprising a handling means for facilitating the gripping of the accessory during use by a person, the handling means comprising a handle extending from an upper portion of the retaining ring and a removal means for removing said handle after use, the removal means comprising a detachable junction linking the handle to the retaining ring.
 5. The article of claim 3, further comprising a handling means for facilitating the gripping of the accessory during use by a person, the handling means comprising a handle extending from an upper portion of the retaining ring and a removal means for removing said handle after use, the removal means comprising a detachable junction linking the handle to the retaining ring.
 6. The article of claim 1, wherein the disc of the flexible attachment means, the ring of the flexible attachment means, and the candy-bearing means comprise one molded piece composed of a plastic material.
 7. The article of claim 4, wherein the disc of the flexible attachment means, the ring of the flexible attachment means, the candy-bearing means, and the handling means comprise one molded piece composed of a plastic material.
 8. A method for providing an article, the article having an edible candy portion as an accessory for body jewelry, the method comprising the steps of: providing a flexible attachment means for attaching the article to one or more of a fixture comprising body jewelry, wherein said flexible attachment means comprises a retaining ring and an inner disk attached to said ring, said disk comprising one or more perforations in the center thereof to receive said fixture comprising body jewelry; providing a candy-bearing means for forming and retaining an edible candy portion thereon; immersing the candy-bearing means in a candy mold comprising a candy-forming solution such that a hard candy having a shape corresponding to the an inner shape of said mold forms upon the candy bearing means; removing the candy-bearing means from the candy mold such that the hard candy remains attached thereto; thereby providing an article having an edible candy portion as an accessory for body jewelry which is attachable thereto via the flexible attachment means.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said candy-bearing means further comprises one or both of a feature selected from the group comprising one or a plurality of perforations and one or a plurality of scoring.
 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the candy-bearing means is a tab having a generally rectangular shape comprising perforations therein.
 11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of: providing a handling means for facilitating the gripping of the accessory during use by a person, the handling means comprising a handle extending from an upper portion of the retaining ring and a removal means for removing said handle after use, the removal means comprising a detachable junction linking the handle to the retaining ring; and, removing the handling means by tearing at the detachable junction to separate the handle from the retaining ring.
 12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of: providing a handling means for facilitating the gripping of the accessory during use by a person, the handling means comprising a handle extending from an upper portion of the retaining ring and a removal means for removing said handle after use, the removal means comprising a detachable junction linking the handle to the retaining ring; and, removing the handling means by tearing at the detachable junction to separate the handle from the retaining ring.
 13. The method of claim 8, wherein the disc of the flexible attachment means, the ring of the flexible attachment means, and the candy-bearing means comprise one molded piece composed of a plastic material.
 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the disc of the flexible attachment means, the ring of the flexible attachment means, the candy-bearing means, and the handling means comprise one molded piece composed of a plastic material. 